A full suspension bike under $1000 is garbage, I agree, but you can get plenty of capable hardtails for < $1000. Personally I cut my teeth on a $750 steel hard

A full suspension bike under $1000 is garbage, I agree, but you can get plenty of capable hardtails for < $1000. Personally I cut my teeth on a $750 steel hardtail, and I would regularly be passing douchebags on $5000 full suspension bikes who had absolutely no need for that kind of hardware.